Gantt
Derived from a nickname for a tall, slender person, from the Middle English word "gant" meaning "slim."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,591 Americans carry the last name Gantt. That puts it at #3,891 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 32,363 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Gantt surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 32,363
Census rank
#3,891
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.1K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,122 bearers of the surname Gantt in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3891st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Gantt, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.1%. The next largest groups are Black (41.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Gantt
The surname Gantt originated from the Old English word "ganta" which means a gander or a male goose. It first appeared in England during the late 12th century in the county of Lancashire. The name was initially used to identify someone who kept geese or lived near a marshy area frequented by these birds.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Gantt can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lancashire from 1202, where it is listed as "Gaunt." This spelling variation was quite common in those times. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296 also mention a "John Gant," which further establishes the early presence of this surname.
In the 14th century, the name Gantt began appearing more frequently in various historical records. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 list a "William Gant" as a landowner in Oxfordshire. The famous Domesday Book of 1086 also includes several entries for individuals with the name "Gant" or "Gaunt," indicating that it was a well-established surname by the time of the Norman Conquest.
During the Middle Ages, the Gantt family held lands and properties in various parts of England, particularly in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. One notable member was Sir Gilbert Gaunt (1279-1335), a English knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence under King Edward I.
In later centuries, the surname Gantt continued to spread and evolve. John Gantt (1592-1637) was an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Surrey. Henry Gantt (1861-1919) was an American mechanical engineer and management consultant, best known for his development of the Gantt chart, a popular project management tool.
Other notable individuals with the surname Gantt include:
1. Thomas Gantt (1619-1676), an English colonist who settled in Maryland and served as a member of the colonial assembly.
2. John Newton Gantt (1810-1864), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Arkansas.
3. Horatio Gantt (1819-1900), an American Baptist minister and educator who founded the Gantt School for Negro Girls in St. Louis, Missouri.
4. Eva Gantt (1921-2019), an American civil rights activist and community leader in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
5. Harvey Gantt (born 1943), an American architect, politician, and the first African American student admitted to Clemson University in South Carolina.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Gantt
Among Census respondents with the surname Gantt, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.1%. The next largest groups are Black (41.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Gantt bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Gantt surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White53.1%
- Black or African American41.6%
- Two or more races2.6%
- Hispanic or Latino1.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Gantt surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,747 | #3,891 | -3.8% |
| Count | 8,695 | 9,122 | 4.9% |
| Per 100K | 3.22 | 3.09 | -4.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Gantt bearers went from 8,695 to 9,122 (+4.9% change). The surname moved down 144 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,747 to #3,891.
FAQ
Gantt surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Gantt?
The surname Gantt holds position #3,891 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 10,591 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 3.09 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Gantt surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Gantt, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.1%. The next largest groups are Black (41.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.